The Baltimore Ravens made it clear before Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft that a tight end was coming. General manager Eric DeCosta said it himself. What nobody expected was who they would pick, or what they would give up to get him.
The team traded their 154th overall pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers to move up to pick 133. Baltimore then used that pick on SMU tight end Matthew Hibner, passing over names like Justin Joly and Michael Trigg, who were both still on the board.
Ravens fans did not take it well.
Ravens Fans React to the Matthew Hibner Pick
One fan summed up the confusion simply, asking what the team was doing.
“What the hell are we doing?”
Another was stunned that the Ravens traded up and still did not come away with a center, which has been the team’s most talked-about need all offseason.
“WE MOVED UP AND IT WASNT A CENTER OR JOLY”
A third fan directed his frustration straight at general manager Eric DeCosta, referring to him by a well-known nickname.
“BALDY WTF ARE YOU DOING WE NEED A CENTER”
One user could not believe the pick at all.
“we traded up for HIBNER???”
Another was upset that Michael Trigg, a bigger name at the position, was passed over entirely.
“Alright bro wtf MICHEAL TRIGGG WAS RIGHT THERE”
A fan listed out the names still available and could not understand the choice.
“Trigg, Joly, Bentley, Endries… and we trade up to choose who?”
Another put the frustration plainly, pointing out that the Ravens spent two picks to not address center.
“U TRADED UP JUST TO NOT TAKE A CENTER LMFAOOO???”
One user tied both complaints together, taking aim at both the pick and the position it filled.
“we traded up for a tight end and didn’t even get Justin Joly or Trigg bro fuck this bald bitch”
One fan pointed to center prospect Sam Hecht, who was still on the board.
“Sam Hecht was right there”
Ravens Fans Expected a Receiver or a Center, Not This
Baltimore walked into Day 3 needing a tight end after losing both Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar in the offseason. The team’s stated draft priorities going in pointed toward tight end as a must-address position.
The only question was who, and when the Ravens moved up to 133rd overall by sending the 154th pick and a 2027 sixth-rounder to San Francisco, fans assumed the answer would be someone worth the cost.
It was not. Hibner is a 6’4″, 251-pound move tight end out of SMU with a 4.57 forty, 28 bench reps at the combine, and a 9.25 Relative Athletic Score. He fits what Declan Doyle wants in his system and brings real special teams value.
The problem is most pre-draft boards had him as a late Day 3 player before the draft even started. The Ravens burned capital to take someone who was likely sitting there for free.
Trigg and Joly were both still on the board and both offer more as pass-catchers, which is exactly what this offense needed after losing two starters at the position. Center was also unaddressed at that point, and Baltimore had real options there too. Trading up to skip both of those needs for a depth-level pick is the part that simply does not add up.
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